<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<
~~>FISHLINK SUBLEGALS 8/25/00<~~
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<
A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT AND
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS
VOL 2, NO. 8 25 AUGUST 2000
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<
2:08/01. CALIFORNIA FISH & GAME COMMISSION ADOPTS
OPTIONS FOR PINK SHRIMP AND NEARSHORE FISHERIES,
MLMA IMPLEMENTATION MOVING AHEAD: At its 24-25 August
meeting in Oakland, the California Fish & Game Commission adopted a
series of options for pink shrimp limited entry and interim management
measures for the nearshore fishery. An additional public hearing will be held
to take testimony on the options for these two fisheries at the Commission's
19-20 October meeting in San Diego, before the adoption hearing on 7-8
December in Eureka. Copies of the options developed through the
stakeholder process mandated by the Marine Life Management Act of 1998
(MLMA) can be viewed on the Commission's website:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm. Much time was spent on nearshore fishery
interim regulations with different options presented by DFG. The Fishery
Management Plan for the nearshore fishery is currently being developed in
conjunction with NMFS, which has overlapping federal jurisdiction.
Temporary interim regulations include options such as establishing interim
allowable biological catches (ABCs) based on catch data, setting interim
optimal yields (OYs) as a percentage of ABCs, area closures, increasing size
limits, seasonal closures, and requiring landing receipts. Attendance was
strong from both commercial and recreational fishermen. The Department
also presented the Commission with recommendations for Amendments to
Title 14 of the CA Code of Regulations for rockfish and lingcod with an area
closure for cowcod of 5000 square miles off Southern California. In addition
the Department gave its recommendation for proposed policy for emerging
fisheries.
The California Department of Fish & Game started this month publishing
its "Marine Management Newsletter" tracking progress on implementation
of the MLMA. The department contacts for each of the fisheries under the
MLMA are as follows: MASTER PLAN MLMA - Marija Vojkovich:
mvojkovi at dfg2.ca.gov. NEARSHORE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN
- Connie Ryan: cryan at dfg2.ca.gov. ABALONE - John Ugoretz:
jugoretz at dfg2.ca.gov. , SQUID - Marija Vojkovich, PINK SHRIMP -
Kristine Barsky: kbarsky at ddg2.ca.gov. , SPOT PRAWN - Paul Reilly:
preilly at dfg.ca.gov. Individuals seeking help or more information on
participating in the stakeholder process can also contact the Institute for
Fisheries Resources (IFR) Sustainable Fisheries Project for the name of the
Sustainable Fishery Organizer in their area by e-mailing IFR at:
ifrfish at aol.com.
2:08/02. NEW FISHING SAFETY GUIDE FROM UK: The British
Sea Fish Industry Authority and U.K. fishermen's federations have
announced a new "Guide to Safe Working Practices for Fishermen." The
new publication is an update of previous guides published by that nation's
Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) and provides advice and guidance
on: healthy and safety; fishing gear and machinery operations; maintenance
work; emergencies - equipment and procedures; and training. It should be
of interest to fishing groups in the U.S. and Canada working on fishing vessel
safety issues. For more information, contact: Kevin Franklin, Regional
Training Advisor at: k_franklin at seafish.co.uk.
2:08/03. ALASKANS ANGRY OVER ESCAPE OF CANADIAN
FARMED ATLANTIC SALMON: On 22 August, the Anchorage Daily
News ran an Associated Press article reporting the recent escape of thousands
of Atlantic salmon from net pens in British Columbia has Alaska worried
about the mixing of the non-native Atlantic farmed fish in the wild with
native Pacific salmon (see Sublegals 2:07/09.). Alaska outlawed salmon
farming in 1990, and the state opposes Canada's farms. Alaska biologists and
fishermen worry that farmed salmon will breed with wild salmon and hamper
local stocks' ability to survive. They also fear farmed salmon will bring
diseases to wild fish or beat out wild stocks for space and food. Alaska plans
to raise the issue of escapes at a meeting scheduled in a couple of weeks in
Washington, D.C., said Dave Gaudet of the Alaska Department of Fish &
Game, according to the report in the Daily News.
An estimated 50,000 mature Atlantic salmon, weighing 10 pounds or
more, recently escaped from a fish farm near the north end of Vancouver
Island, about 350 miles south of Alaska waters. The fish escaped from
a large circular net pen that holds up to 75,000 fish at Sargaunt Pass, east
of
Port McNeill. The fish were first reported by gillnetters who were catching
them in their nets. About 286,000 farmed fish are known to have escaped
from British Columbia farms between 1991 and 1999. For more information,
go to: http://www.adn.com/business/story/0,2641,188127,00.html .
2:08/04. COLUMBIA RECOVERY PLAN COMMENTS DUE 26
SEPTEMBER: The federal agencies are taking comments on the Columbia
River Basin Salmon Recovery Strategy, including the NMFS Draft
Biological Opinion. If the Plan is to be function, a number of improvements
must be made. For a PCFFA Policy Statement on what this Strategy means
for fishermen, and what can be done to improve it, see the top of PCFFA's
Home Page or go to the article "Fishermen Sacrificed to Save Snake Dams:
What the Columbia River Salmon Recovery Plan Means to Fishermen and
What You Can Do About It" at: http://www.pond.net/~pcffa/biop.htm.
2:08/05. NMFS COLUMBIA RIVER DREDGING SIGNOFF
WITHDRAWN: In a startling reversal, NMFS has formally withdrawn its
highly embassing December '99 Biological Opinion approving the Corps of
Engineers plans to dredge out 103.5 miles the Columbia Estuary to a depth
of 43 feet and 600 feet wide. The plan was lobbied heavily by the Port of
Portland in an effort to get more high seas cargo ships up the river to the
Port, but was opposed by the Port of Astoria as well as by conservationists
and commercial fishermen. Fishermen feared the impact on critically
important salmon habitat in the estuary as well as the dumping of dredge
spoils on top of the Northwest's most productive Dungeness crab nursery,
and PCFFA, the Columbia River Crab Fishermen's Assn. and PCFFA
member Salmon for All had all challenged it in court with other co-plaintiffs
with a trial likely this fall. Citing inability to come to agreement with the
Corps on basic studies needed to assess the dredging's impact, as well as
'new biological information,' NMFS cancellation of the existing BiOp
essentially starts the consultation process over. Because the project would
affect 13 ESA salmonids, the Corps cannot proceed on its $155 million
project without NMFS signoff. The dredging program was much criticized
as running directly counter to the recently released Columbia River Recovery
Strategy, which placed a strong emphasis on protecting and restoring the
same estuary salmon habitat that the Corps dredging program would have
destroyed. "NMFS cannot have it both ways," noted PCFFA Northwest
Director Glen Spain. "They cannot say both protect the estuary and dredge
it, as they were trying to do. This estuary is critical salmon habitat. If
NMFS
is serious about trying to save Columbia River salmon without breaching the
Snake River dams, then the first thing that has to go is the Corps expanded
dredging plan." PCFFA expects to challenge the Corps Final Environmental
Impact Statement as well, when it comes out next year. See:
http://www.oregonlive.com/printer2.ssf?/news/oregonian/00/08/
lc_71dredg26.frame
2:08/06. HERBICIDE SPILL POISONS OREGON RIVER: On 23
August, in one of the worst pesticide accidents in recent years, a transport
truck containing 20,000 pounds of the powerful herbicide oxyfluofen, which
is highly toxic to fish, crashed and spilled its load into Fifteenmile Creek
east
of The Dalles, which feeds into the Columbia River. The spill left a huge
aquatic 'dead zone' of at least 400 yards, killing everything in its path.
Crews are still struggling to keep the worst of the herbicide out of the
mainstem Columbia River and clean up what can be cleaned up to prevent
it spreading further. For more information see: http://www.oregonlive.com/
printer2.ssf?/news/oregonian/00/08/nw_51spill24.frame. The same day,
Oregon's Department of Agriculture formally banned the use of 10 pesticides
whose manufacture and distribution is already prohibited by the federal
government, for the first time using the authority of Oregon Governor
Kitzhaber's Executive Order No EO-99-13. In 1999, the Governor ordered a
crackdown on 'PBTs' (persistent bioaccumulative toxins) throughout the state,
including those just banned, eventually phasing them out entirely, because
they persist for years in the environment, accumulate in the human food chain
and are a serious cancer and public health risk. Even though these 10
pesticides have been federally banned for sale, until Wednesday it was still
legal to use existing stockpiles in Oregon and large quantities still exist in
storage barns. Under the ban, any use is now punishable by a $1,000 fine for
the first offense, and $2,000 for subsequent offenses. Executive Order
EO-99-13 is available at:
http://www.governor.state.or.us/governor/legal/execords/eo99-13.pdf For
more information on the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture's ban see:
http://www.oda.state.or.us/Information/news/PBT.html.
2:08/07. EROSION HURTING ATLANTIC SALMON: A recent
survey by the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission found that "sediment
from snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle trails" adversely impacts Atlantic
salmon in Washington County rivers says the Bangor Daily News. The four
Washington County rivers are among only eight remaining rivers where the
wild Atlantic salmon, which are candidates for ESA listing, spawn. Of 25
problem ATV erosion sites on the Machias and East Machias rivers, 24 were
on land that had been logged by International Paper. For more information
see the 22 August Bangor Daily News at:
http://www.bangornews.com/cgi-bin/article.cfm?storynumber=19628.
2:08/08. AMERICANS ATE MORE SEAFOOD IN 1999: Seafood
consumption in the U.S. increased 3.6 percent, with Americans consuming
4.2 billion pounds of domestic and imported seafood in 1999, or 15.3 pounds
per person, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration announced 1 August. Officials from NOAA's National
Marine Fisheries Service said that the per capita consumption level of 15.3
pounds per person represents an increase of 0.4 pound from the 1998 level.
Of the 15.3 pounds of seafood consumed per person, 10.4 pounds were fresh
or frozen fish or shellfish, 4.6 pounds were canned seafood, and 0.3 pounds
of seafood was cured. Compared to 1998 figures, that represents a 0.2 pound
increase in both the fresh/frozen and canned products. For more info see:
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2000/aug00/noaa00r138.html.
2:08/09. HAWAII LONGLINE CLOSURES GO INTO EFFECT:
Emergency interim regulations published 16 August and 25 August in the
Federal Register formally close most of the Hawaii longline swordfish
fishery, impose observer program requirement of at least 20 percent coverage
by 2 November (the fishery has had only 1% coverage to date), and requires
various gear changes in those areas that remain open, all pursuant to a Court
Order in a case brought last year to reduce sea turtle bycatch. NMFS is under
order to keep that fishery closed until it can produce an Environmental
Impact State (EIS) on what the impacts of that fishery actually are on sea
turtles, many species of which are federally protected. These rules replace
earlier versions and will be in effect until 21 Feb. 2001. Comments on the
rules must be received by 10 October. Written comments on this action must
be mailed to Dr. Charles Karnella, Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands
Area Office (PIAO), 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI
96814-4700; or faxed to 808-973-2941. Comments will not be accepted if
submitted via e-mail or the Internet. Copies of the environmental assessment
(EA) and regulatory impact review (RIR) prepared for this action may be
obtained from Dr. Charles Karnella, PIAO. For further information contact:
Alvin Katekaru at 808-973-2937. The Federal Register Notices can be
obtained from: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html as
documents: DOCID:fr16au00-40 [Page 49968] (16 Aug. 2000) and:
DOCID:fr25au00-14 [Page 51991-51996] (25 Aug. 2000).
2:08/10. KENAI PENINSULA SOCKEYE DISASTER: On 3 Aug.
2000, Secretary of Commerce Norman Mineta declared a fishery disaster
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act for the Yukon,
Kuskokwim, and Norton Sound regions of western AK, making available
low interest loans and other federal assistance. On 18 Aug. 2000, AK
Governor Tony Knowles' disaster policy cabinet met local residents and
business people in Soldotna, AK, to consider whether the poor return of
Cook Inlet red salmon and low salmon prices warrant a disaster declaration
or other assistance for the Kenai Peninsula region. On 28 August the
Anchorage Daily News reported that Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dale
Bagley has declared an economic disaster, requesting state and federal aid for
commercial fishermen, processors and other people and communities hurt by
dismal Cook Inlet sockeye salmon returns. For more info see:
http://www.adn.com/metro/story/0,2633,189842,00.html.
2:08/11. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZES
AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY: On 8 Aug., 2000, Canadian Fisheries
Minister Herb Dhaliwal announced that the federal government is pledging
C$75 million over the next 5 years to enhance sustainable aquaculture
development in Canada. These funds will be spend on 1) aquaculture
research and development (C$32.5 million, including C$20 million for an
Aquaculture Collaborative Research & Development Program), 2) improved
legislative and management framework to streamline the regulatory
processes (C$22.5 million), and 3) a program to enhance product quality and
human health safety for the shellfish farming industry (C$20 million). For
more information, see the DFO's page at:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/COMMUNIC/NEWSREL/2000/hq71_e.htm .
2:08/12. MEXICAN DOLPHIN CONSULTATION: On 6 Aug., 2000,
the Mexican Government announced that it had made an urgent request to the
U.S. Government for political consultations to ensure compliance of
commitments signed by the United States in the Agreement on the
International Dolphin Conservation Program and regarding the
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. While Mexico reports that
substantial effort has been take to eliminate dolphin deaths by the Mexican
tuna industry, the United States has not yet lifted the import ban nor changed
the "dolphin-safe" definition, due to a case before the 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals. The ruling by this Court is not anticipated until mid-2001. Thus,
Mexico holds that the United States is not in full compliance with the
Panama Declaration, nor with the U.S. International Dolphin Conservation
Program Act. Mexico stated that it reserves its right to use the dispute
resolution mechanisms of the World Trade Organization. (Reported by the
Congressional Research Service, citing Mexico Embassy press release not
yet posted on the Mexico Embassy web site as of this date). The Agreement
itself is available at:
http://www.state.gov/www/global/oes/oceans/dolphin.html.
2:08/13. US FDA APPROVES PINK COLOR ADDITIVE FOR
FARMED SALMONIDS: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
has just approved the use of Cyanotech's "NatuRose(R)" color additive, made
from natural astaxanthin as a color additive in the feed of farmed salmon and
trout. NatuRose(R) natural astaxanthin is an extract from Haematococcus
algae. Because of non-natural rearing conditions and artificial feeding,
farmed salmon flesh bears little resemblance to that of wild fish and must be
artificially colored to resemble it sufficiently so consumers cannot
distinguish the two. Approval of this coloring agent allows salmon farmers
in the US and other countries to offer American consumers so-called "All
Natural" farm-raised salmon, claims Cyanotech Corporation in a press
release. The company estimates the world market for astaxanthin to
currently exceed $150 million per year. For the Cyanotech press release,
see:
http://www.cyanotech.com/news/00/08-22-00.html .
2:08/14. NMFS HOLDING WORKSHOPS ON AQUACULTURE
REGULATION: NMFS is seeking stakeholder input for the development
of a Code of Conduct for Responsible Aquaculture in the U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone. Such a Code of Conduct will provide general guidance for
siting and operating aquaculture facilities in the US Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) seaward of coastal state boundaries and authorities. NMFS is
holding three workshops to gather information that will be used to develop a
draft Code of Conduct. The workshops are open to the public. The meeting
dates are:
1. Seattle, WA: 7 September, 2000, from 1000 - 1500 hrs., at National
Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725
Montlake Boulevard E., Seattle, WA. 98112.
2. Danvers, MA: 14 September, 2000, from 1000 -1500 hrs., at King's
Grant Inn, Route 128 at Trask Lane, Danvers, MA 01923.
3. Galveston, TX: 20 September, 2000, from 1000 -1500 hrs, at National
Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston Laboratory, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston,
TX 77551.
For further information contact: Edwin Rhodes at (301) 713-2334 or Colin
Nash at (360) 871-8309. For specific workshop information contact: Seattle,
WA, Colin Nash, (360) 871-8309; Danvers, MA, Harry Mears, (978)
281-9243; Galveston, TX, Roger Zimmerman, (409) 766-3500.
2:08/15. CA BOARD OF FORESTRY TO DECIDE SOON ON
WATERSHED PROTECTIONS: The California Board of Forestry is now
considering rules for watershed assessments called the "Watershed
Assessment and Mitigation Addendum (WEMA)," originally published in
June, 2000. This rule package is the Board's response to increasing criticism
by NMFS and by the Resource Agency's own internal Scientific Review
Team of the inadequacies of the current California Forest Practices Act's
failure to assess cumulative impacts on a watershed basis. The draft rules
are
an effort to develop a site specific watershed assessment approach in lieu of
adopting more general (and politically riskier) restrictions on activities
that
clearly destroy salmon spawning and rearing habitat. For more information
or upcoming agendas see the California Board of Forestry Home Page:
http://www.fire.ca.gov/bof/board/board_current_docs.html. Copies of the
draft rules can be downloaded from:
http://www.fire.ca.gov/bof/board/ board_proposed_rule_packages.html . For
the California Resource Agency Scientific Review Panel's scathing critique of
its current Forest Practices Act, go to: http://www.ceres.ca.gov/cra/srp.html.
2:08/16. TRADE BILLS TO WATCH IN THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE: As the California Legislature enters its final frenzy
before adjournment, it is considering a number of important bills dealing
with the impact of the WTO and other world trade agreements on the
California economy and human rights, including the following:
SCR 74 - The California Legislature has established the Senate Select
Committee on California and the WTO, a special committee chaired by
Senator Tom Hayden. SCR 74 This bill would institutionalize the committee
by creating the Joint Committee on California's Role in the WTO, composed
of five members from each house, and would authorize the committee until
2004. The bill will be heard on the floor of the Assembly soon.
SB 1516 This bill is intended to provide greater information to the
public and the Legislature of the ongoing and often adverse impacts of trade
agreements negotiated by the US Government on California environmental
laws and regulations. It requires the State Secretary for Environmental
Protection and the Secretary of the State Resources Agency to review and
assess existing and proposed trade agreements for the legislature and the
public on a regular and consistent basis.
Many fisheries protections and the structure of fisheries markets are also
subject to the WTO. However, fishing representatives have been deliberately
excluded from these back-rooms debates and deal-making between countries
that will affect their industry. See: "The WTO: Flying Below Fishermen's
Radar," available at: http://www.pond.net/~pcffa/fn-nov99.htm .
2:08/17. CALIFORNIA "RIGS TO REEFS" BILL (SB 241) FAILS
TO MEET OBJECTIONS: Various problems with the "rigs to reefs," bill
have emerged, which means that this bill is unlikely to pass this Legislative
session. The bill would allow oil companies to escape most of its current
offshore oil platform decommissioning and cleanup cost obligations by
essentially declaring them "artificial reefs" legislatively and turning them
over to the California Dept. of Fish & Game (see Sublegals 2:04/13). The
bill would also make the DFG, the recipient of oil company money for the
transition, also the ultimate decision-making agency on environmental
impacts, which is a clear conflict of interest. In addition, uncertainties
about
ultimate costs to the State (oil companies would pay one-time fees, but State
maintenance and potential future cleanup costs could last indefinitely) make
it unlikely to pass. The whole "rigs to reefs" concept is deeply
controversial
and there is little scientific evidence to support many of the oil company
assertions of ecological benefit. For a good treatment of the pros and cons
of these structures see the April 1997 (Vol. 22, No. 4) issue of Fisheries,
the
journal of the American Fisheries Society. Another recommended review
paper is "Artificial Reefs and Fisheries Exploitation," published in Fisheries
Research, v. 31, pp. 39-59, 1997.
2:08/18. CALIFORNIA CLEARCUT MORATORIUM BILL (AB
717) PASSES ASSEMBLY, VOTE DUE IN SENATE: In response to
major watershed degradation, excessive silt and increased incidence of
landslides linked to forest clearcutting (removing more than 70% of tree
cover), and an over 2000 percent increase in clearcutting by some companies
in California, on 26 January the California State Assembly by a wide margin
passed AB 717, which would impose a 2-year moratorium on forest
clearcutting on private lands while a scientific panel reviewed the practice
and made recommendations (see Sublegals 2:06/06). On 23 August the bill
passed from the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water with a
"do pass" recommendation and the vote on the Senate floor is imminent. If
passed, this would be the first time the widespread practice of clearcutting
has been called into question legislatively. Current status and a copy of the
bill can be obtained from the California Senate web site at:
http://www.senate.ca.gov .
2:08/19. PFMC WORK SESSION ON HIGHLY MIGRATORY
SPECIES: The Pacific Fishery Management Council's Highly Migratory
Species Plan Development Team (HMSPDT) will hold a public work session
Tuesday, 26 September, 2000, from 800 to 1700 hrs.; Wednesday, 27
September, 2000, from 800 to 1700 hrs.; and Thursday, 28 September, 2000,
from 830 hrs. until business for the day is completed. On Tuesday and
Wednesday, the work session will be held in the large conference room at
NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive,
Room D-203, La Jolla, CA 92038-0271, telephone: (619) 546-7000. On
Thursday, the HMSPDT will meet at the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research
Institute, 2595 Ingraham Street, San Diego, CA 92109-7902, telephone:
(619) 226-3870. For Further Information Contact: Dan Waldeck, Pacific
Fishery Management Council, (503) 326-6352 or see:
http://www.pcouncil.org.
2:08/20. SALMON SENSE OF SMELL DISRUPTED BY
PESTICIDES: New research from scientists at the National Marine
Fisheries Service indicates suggests that even very low levels of pesticides
(well below current allowable exposure levels) can disrupt the ability of
salmon to smell, potentially diminishing their survival and homing instincts.
This and many other recent studies underscore what many experts are
beginning to believe that pesticides can be inherently disruptive to salmon
survival in and of themselves, completely aside for other, more well known,
impacts such as dams and high water temperatures. For news accounts see:
http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/salm013.shtml. Agricultural chemicals
and pesticides have long been identified as factors that can contribute to
salmon declines, even at sub-lethal levels, by affecting development,
reproduction and survival behavior (see Diminishing Returns: Salmon
Decline and Pesticides, at: http://www.pond.net/~fish1ifr/salpest.htm).
PCFFA and IFR recently joined the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives
to Pesticides (NCAP) and the Washington Toxics Coalition in their "60-Day
Notice to Sue" to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for
failure to consult with NMFS on the impacts of pesticides on ESA-listed
salmon. EPA must register and approve all uses of pesticides, but does not
specifically take into account the impacts of these chemicals on ESA-listed
salmonids. A copy of the original 60-Day Notice can be obtained from
Earthjustice Legal Defense at:
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/pr072699_60day.htm. (See Sublegals
2:04/08).
2:08/21. CALFED SET TO ANNOUNCE RECORD OF DECISION:
The Clinton and Davis Administrations are poised to announce the
anticipated Record of Decision (ROD) on CALFED within the next few
days. The ROD will outline the projects that state and federal agencies plan
to implement over the next 30 years for Californians' water use. Fishermen
and conservationists continue to request that CALFED commit more
resources to improving water conservation as a means of creating a reliable
water supply; use state of the art treatment and pollution prevention to
improve water quality for drinking water and the environment; commit to a
guaranteed water supply for our rivers and Delta to ensure protection of
endangered wildlife and fish and a healthy river system; and commit staff
and resources to ensure CALFED programs are implemented with a
consideration of environmental justice for all communities. The ROD will
be available to the public as soon as released on the CALFED website:
http://calfed.ca.gov.
The California State Legislature recently sent a letter to Governor Davis
and U.S. Interior Secretary Babbitt requesting CALFED better address the
issues of conservation, water for the environment and environmental justice.
The state legislature is considering AB 1839, which in intended to determine
who and what will "govern" the many facets of the CALFED Program.
Introduced by Assemblymember Mike Machado, AB 1839 appears to have
strong support from Governor Davis, but has not yet been endorsed by the
Environmental Water Caucus (of which PCFFA is a part) because of serious
problems still remaining in the bill. AB 1839 is expected to be heard by the
Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee within the next week.
2:08/22. GOODBYE MOLLY: Sublegals is sad to announce that Molly
Thomas, who has been our diligent Editor for this newsletter since it started
in January, is leaving IFR to pursue her professional career. Molly has been
patient but persistent in making sure our weekly schedule was met with high
standards. Molly brought a unique perspective to IFR as its Administrator
since last September, and as Sublegals Editor. An Earlham graduate, she has
done bird research on Long Island Sound, dolphin assessments in the Gulf
of Mexico, worked on condor recovery projects in the Southwest, and was
part of the Americorps Watershed Stewards Program doing salmon restoration
work in Northern California. A biologist by training, she has a strong
grounding in the Humanities as well and proved both a good writer and a very
capable Editor. We will miss Molly and wish her well in all her future
endeavors.
GOT NEWS?: Submit news items to Natasha Benjamin, Editor at:
ifrfish at aol.com or call the IFR office with the news and a source at either:
(415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000 (Northwest Office).
##########################################################
Sublegals are a weekly fisheries news bulletin service of Fishlink. For
a free subscription to Fishlink, contact <majordomo at pond.net> with
the words "subscribe fishlink" in the body of the text (the request is not
case sensitive). You will be subscribed as soon as the request can be
approved. To remove your name from our list, follow the same
instructions with the command "unsubscribe fishlink." If you have any
problems, you can contact us directly at: <fish1ifr at aol.com>.
##########################################################
"Fishlink" is a registered trademark of the Institute for Fisheries
Resources. All rights to the use of this trademark are reserved to IFR.
This publication, however, may be freely reproduced and circulated
without copyright restriction. If you are receiving this as a subscriber,
please feel free to pass this on to your colleagues. Thanks!
##########################################################
NOTICE
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 this material is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it
for research and educational purposes. The Institute for Fisheries
Resources, a nonprofit organization, provides Fishlink News Service free
of charge even though it costs the organization considerable time and
money to produce it. We would like to continue to provide this service
free. You could help by making a tax-deductible contribution (anything
you can afford, whether $5.00 or $500.00) to keep this effort going and
growing. Please send your tax-deductible contribution to: Institute for
Fisheries Resources, PO Box 29196, San Francisco, CA 94129-0196.
Please do not send credit card information via E-mail. For further
information about making tax-deductible contributions to IFR please
phone us at: (541) 689-2000, or fax us at: (541)689-2500.
--Your Dedicated Editors
##########################################################
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get off ACN-L send a note to majordomo at acn.ca with unsubscribe acn-l
ACN-L archives are at http://www.peter.unmack.net/archive/acn
The Aquatic Conservation Network is dedicated to the exchange of
information regarding aquatic conservation issues. http://www.acn.ca
ACN-L is hosted by Gordon Dewis (gordon at pinetree.org) at www.pinetree.org